Never underestimate how much power there is in our words. A word spoken at the wrong time can cause lasting damage. A badly chosen word can hurt someone deeply. A careless word can strike at a person’s feeling of self-worth and shatter their confidence for the rest of their life. But a caring, considered word at just the right time can uplift someone, change the atmosphere, and spark change in a situation. Our words can have an impact that we would never imagine, and it can be one that lasts for many years.

The words tongue, mouth, lips, and words are mentioned in the book of Proverbs almost 150 times; roughly five times in each of the thirty-one chapters. The fact that so much importance is placed on our words tells us we must take care of what comes out of our mouths. It’s estimated that in a period of fifty years, the average person will say enough words to create twelve thousand books of three hundred pages each. Think about the libraries we’re filling up and the word-legacies we're leaving behind! Some of the words we speak will never be forgotten, so we need to take care to always speak words that reflect God’s heart. 

Solomon wanted his children to grow up with hearts of wisdom, so he said, ‘My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad indeed; my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right’ (v.15-16 NIV). So today, think before you speak, and make every effort to use your words in a way that’ll create a positive lasting impact.

What Now?

Start your day by praying that every word you speak would be one of love, encouragement, and a reflection of God. If you’re aware later that something you said could have been hurtful or careless, make the decision to apologise as soon as you can.